Thrilled crowds in great numbers at freestyle.ch 2006

September 25th, 2006

A first-rate starting field, sensational contests, an excellent atmosphere und perfect weather – it doesn’t get any better than this! Approximately 46, 000 thrilled fans filled Zurich’s Landiwiese, playing their part in making this weekend what OK President Erwin Flury confirmed at the close of the Super Finals: «freestyle.ch 2006 was a great success».

More action with a new finals format
Sunday’s finalists took to their snowboards, freeskiis, FMX bikes and skateboards to go at it in a new finals format. Finalists in the 45-minute sessions got the chance to display their creativity while giving the audiences a razzle-dazzle show. The three best candidates were then able to perform two jumps or runs in order to be recommended for the title. Thanks to the new format, audiences were able to experience more jumps and action in the finals.
The freeskiers were given the honor of opening the finals, getting another chance to show off their best tricks. Jon Olsson (SWE), Martin Misof (AUT) and Charles Gagnier (CAN) managed to make it to the Super Final. Misof caught the «freestyle.champ» title with a perfectly landed Switch 1080, pushing Olsson with his Switch Misty 1080 into second place and Gagnier with his Switch 1080 into third.
In the skateboarding finals, riders tore the house down, blowing audiences away with their golden performances. The multiple German champ Sascha Müller landed his first MC Twist and Sandro Dias tried it with a 900, which he didn’t fully manage to stick. But Dias – the newly crowned
«crossover.champ 2006» - came through in the Super Final against Terence Bougdour (FRA) and Mathias Ringström from Sweden. The FMXer Mat Rebeaud lived up to his reputation, winning the «freestyle.champ» title for the second consecutive time by tossing out Nac Nac Back Flips with one-handed landings.
«It is a great feeling, to win a contest on home soil», said the resident of Romandy, Switzerland’s French speaking region.
Following in second place, Jey Rouanet from France secured his spot with a Shaked Back Flip while Lukas Weis from Germany moved into third place with his Cliffhanger.
Switzerland’s riders were less successful in the snowboarding finals than in the qualifications. The
qualification winners Markus Keller, Stephan Maurer and Roman Marti did make it to the finals but not into one of the three positions reserved for the Super Final. The honor went instead to Mathieu Crepel (FRA), Eero Ettala (FIN) and Antti Autti (FIN). Ettala then managed to win out in the play off against Autti and Crepel, captivating both the audience and judges with a Switch Double Back Flip – which
had already won him the «crossover.champ» in 2005 – becoming a 2006 «freestyle.champ»